The selection put up the best performance of her career to the blue riband of hurdling at last year’s Cheltenham FestivalHoneysuckle delivered the best performance of her career to win last year’s Champion Hurdle and there is no reason to suspect any of the also-rans 12 months ago can narrow the gap this time.Appreciate It and Teahupoo, by contrast, are fresh opponents for Honeysuckle with considerable scope for improvement. The time of Teahupoo’s recent Grade Three win at Gowran Park suggests the form is stronger than it might have looked. Continue reading...
Jockey will be aboard the reigning champion hurdler, who makes her comeback at Newcastle a week on SaturdayAidan Coleman has been named as the new regular rider for Epatante, following the retirement in summer of Barry Geraghty, who partnered her to wins in the Christmas Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle last season. “It’s fantastic to get the ride back,” said Coleman, who scored on her at Newbury last November on a day when Geraghty had gone to Newcastle for the Fighting Fifth. Related: Talking Horses: no leniency for Tiger Roll despite Cheltenham flop You can never get enough of watching stars like Altior (dark jacket, @NdeBoinville) and Epatante (@JerrymcGrath) go through their paces so here is their workout at @NewburyRacing...
The absence of a previous winner makes this feel a low-quality contest but the mare can follow up her striking Kempton winThe absence of a previous winner makes this feel like a low-quality Champion Hurdle but, with plenty of youth in the line-up, it would be early to jump to that conclusion. Epatante (3.30) appears on a steep upward curve and can prove it by giving Nicky Henderson his eighth success in the race.Henderson did not seem enthused when it was suggested to him in late November that this mare would be a championship contender. But just a month later she quickened clear of the field in the Christmas Hurdle, which has been the best trial for this. Related: Talking...
A Champion Hurdle bid may be ever so doubtful but let’s remember that it remains a possibility for the time beingFrom a punter’s perspective, the key detail to bear in mind from yesterday’s news about Samcro is that he has not actually been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival yet. I find this slightly surprising, given that a lung infection has just been discovered and treatment begun with the Champion Hurdle just two months away, but there you are; in amongst all the detail, connections have explicitly saved for themselves the option of running the horse, as they are fully entitled to do. Related: How viruses and January colds hit racing – Talking Horses Huntingdon: 1.00 Twenty Twenty 1.30 Precious...
Gordon Elliott has revealed that he and the horse’s owners want to try to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in MarchSamcro has become favourite with some bookmakers for the Champion Hurdle after news broke this morning that the hugely promising chestnut will be kept to the smaller obstacles this season. The news, which runs counter to the general expectation that he would begin a steeplechasing career this week, was broken by the trainer Gordon Elliott through his Betfair blog. Related: Bryony Frost back in the limelight after battling Aintree victory on Frodon Redcar 12.05 Pendleton (nb) 12.35 Timetodock 1.05 Mister Chiang 1.40 Warrior’s Spirit 2.15 Bill Cody 2.50 Make Me 3.25 Alfie’s Angel 4.00 Sfumato Continue reading...